New Portomaso to cause ‘untold damage’ on urban environment – FAA

Environmental NGO Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar has blasted a decision by MEPA's new appeals board to grant a permit to the Tumas Group for the construction of 46 villas on an artificial lagoon at Portomaso.

"The granting of the Portomaso permit on appeal is yet another proof that the abusive 2006 local plans have caused untold damage to Malta's urban planning and environment. FAA, Ramblers, Friends of the Earth and Graffitti had commenced a court case to have the Local Plans repealed but 6 years later the case is still dragging on," the NGO said in a statement.

MEPA's new 'part-time' appeals board, appointed by the new Labour government in July, issued a permit this week for the Tumas Group to construct 46 villas on an artificial lagoon at Portomaso. The controversial extension to Portomaso had been turned down by the MEPA board on 26 April 2012, after chairman Austin Walker used his casting vote. The board members had been tied with six votes in favour and six against, after a four-hour debate held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. 

The new appeals aboard that decided to overturn the MEPA board decision is composed of Labour candidate and lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace, architect and Freeport chairman Robert Sarsero, and MEPA official Martin Saliba.

At both stages, the main bone of contention was a clause in the previous Portomaso permit of 1996 which stated that no further extension or development could be carried out in the area.

"FAA maintains that since the 1998 permit conditions imposing protection of the site and a veto on any further development on this footprint were not revoked by MEPA, therefore they are not nullified by the subsequent Local Plans as has been claimed," FAA said.

At the time of the original Hilton development, this site was one of only two places on the Maltese islands where the protected Wedgefoot Grass was to be found. The EIA for the original development stipulates that both the northern and the southern ecological zones must be protected by hoardings during construction and by large buffer zones following completion.

"The fact that the Wedgefoot grass disappeared from the site within a short time indicates what FAA has always maintained," the NGO said. "MEPA does not have the resources to ensure that conditions and monitoring are upheld. MEPA's justification of unacceptable permits by the imposition of conditions and monitoring when MEPA is aware that those conditions are likely to be breached, is very questionable practice."